EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso County property owners who want to challenge the value placed on their homes by the El Paso Central Appraisal District must file a protest before the deadline passes.

The deadline to file is May 15 or 30 days from the date on a property owner’s notice of appraised value, whichever is later, according to El Paso Central Appraisal District Executive Director and Chief Appraiser Dinah Kilgore.

“You have until May 15th or 30 days from the date of your notice, whichever is the later, to file a protest. And we tell people, please file,” Kilgore said.

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Many homeowners may have already received a notice of appraised value in the mail, showing what the appraisal district says the property is worth. If a property owner disagrees with that value, a protest must be filed to challenge it.

The El Paso Central Appraisal District says property owners can file a protest online, in person or by mail.

Kilgore has said homeowners can support their protest with documentation such as photos, repair estimates and market information about other homes in their area.

“There may be some extenuating circumstances, some individual characteristics of your property that we’re not aware of. We don’t go inside homes,” Kilgore said. “Bring us in your estimates. Bring us in your photos. Get a market analysis done. Talk to realtors.”

Kilgore also emphasized that the appraisal district’s role is limited to determining property values, not setting tax rates.

“The appraisal district has nothing to do with the tax rate,” she said.

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Tax rates are set by local taxing entities, including school districts, the city of El Paso, El Paso County and other special districts.

“Make sure you don’t let that deadline pass you to follow a protest. Don’t feel intimidated. We want you to come in. We want you to protest. We want you to bring your information. You know more about your home than we do,” Kilgore said.

You can find more information about the property appraisal protest process here.

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